China Joyful Over PS3

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Sony's next system draws huge lines.

By Anoop Gantayat

Sony Computer Entertainment will be making its big PS3 splash at the Tokyo Game Show in late September, but first it had to finish its pre-game warm-up, an appearance at the fourth annual China Joy event in Shanghai. Based on several accounts, the PlayStation 3's appearance at China's largest videogame show was quite the hit as gamers lined up for meters to get their first look at the system.

Alas, a glimpse was all they got. PS3 software was on display in video form only, with Sony resurrecting its PS3 Theater concept via a digest version of the footage shown at E3. The company also had PS3 hardware in glass cases, but no playable games. Still, a lengthy line formed around the SCE Asia booth.

The Cosplayers at China Joy take their craft seriously.

The entertaining thing about all this is that the PS3 may not even be released in China at all. Japan's Impress Game Watch reports that the launch timing of the PS3 in the Chinese market depends on its government. Apparently, the former Peking has some sort of zany law that restricts sales of computer games... especially for those of overseas-developed consoles. SCE Asia, which has an office set up in Beijing, is currently attempting to work around this problem as well as other issues involving customs and content censorship.

Based on the lines at China Joy, the Chinese should be happy when, and if, they do get the new system.